Ohio Wesleyan University Top Questions

You must decide now on what it is you look for in a college and an college experience. Your going to want a fun and educational experience, so think about the setting, graduation rate, retention rate, clubs and organizations available, and campus diversity. There are many elements that make up the "right" college for anyone. When looking at any college, try to evaluate what kind of person your are. Imagine yourself there. When you have decided which college is right for you, try to keep in contact with faculty fellows and alumni of that college. Ask about their experiences there, academics ,student life, and what to expect when you arrive on campus. Stay informed and the transition from high school to college will be a whole lot easier than what I could be otherwise.

I would tell myself to stay calm through the undergraduate process. I picked a fantastic school that encourages growth and independent learning. I would tell myself to stay confident in my academic abilities. College is difficult but I must persevere and be assidious to achieve my greater career goals. The workload and pressure to achieve will be well worth the struggle in the end. I would tell myself to become involved in the community. This involvement will aid in my personal growth, not just my academic growth. I would remind myself to stay open to new people and new ideas. It is frightening to begin in a new environment but remaining open and positive can make all the difference. I would also remind myself to take the opportunities that present themselves. Every opportunity is a blessing and I should appreciate all the opportunities I receive. College will go by quickly so I should enjoy the time I am there.

Knowing what I know now about college life and making the transition I would tell myself to have more confidence and not be afraid of asking for help. From the very beginning, Chemistry threw me a curve ball. Though I knew this science would not be easy to tackle, I always felt the need to be self sufficient rather than seeking assistance. Over time, I began losing faith in myself, and fearing failure. I convinced myself there was not time within my busy schedule to find help and all along I felt too humbled by the extensive knowledge of my professors and peers. In the end, I went to my chemistry teacher, who ensured me that I was no where near failure and should have come to him sooner. I hired a tutor for a time, but found I was able to reach greater success on my own once I gained confidence. Had I known the extent of my abilities earlier on and trusted myself and my professors I could have achieved even more endeavors. However, my college career now has a brighter future which I am increasing excited to pursue.

I would show myself how to apply for colleges and scholarships, because as a senior, I had no idea what I was doing. I had little to no guidance so I didn't go about preparing for college financially the right way.

I would tell myself to take classes more seriously, both in high school and in college, because the way you need to study for each is completely different. The transition from studying a couple hours the night before a huge test to studying a couple hours a night every night since the start of class was one that I was not prepared for. I also needed to learn time management. As a senior, I didn't believe that I would have a problem balancing my school work, my sport and my social life but unfortunately, I was sorely mistaken. My high school self was too used to only putting in half the effort necessary in school so when I tried to do the same at university, I quickly had to realize that it was not working to my advantage. I had to learn the hard way how to study and manage my time. My high school self was not ready to put in the effort but my current self is and even though it would have been easier to realize it sooner, I learned much more by going the hard way.

If I could go back in time and talk to myself as a senior in high school, there is not too much i would tell my self to change. For starters, I would have told my self to take some foreign language classes so I would not have to worry about them in college. Other classes I could have taken would have been some advanced placement classes, at the time my thought was, whats the point, and now I see that those classes could have been a big help to me now. Also looking back, I would have myself fill out more scholarships and grants, instead I spent most of my time working. My senior year I was in COOP so i would leave school and go to work, go back to school for sports, then go to my other job. Although I made a good amount of money, I feel i worked too much as a kid. I would tell my self to take a few days off and have some more fun with friends while I was young. I am still happy with what I did as a senior and I am looking forward to my future.

If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I would give a lot of advice . First, I would tell myself to prepare for the fast-paced life of college by taking more challenging classes. I would consider taking more AP classes so that I may test out of my distribution requirements and spend more time taking classes that are for my major. Then, I would save time and money. I would tell myself to practice new study habits because college studying is not like high school studying. For example, I would suggest organizing my notes into note cards and studying them a little bit every day. This way I would not be left cramming the night before any of my exams. I would most definitely tell myself to get used to coffee because it will eventually replace all other beverages and become my primary method for functioning in the mornings. Most importantly, I would tell myself to apply early for colleges and scholarships. I would also organize a specific plan for how I would pay for tuition, and I would make sure that I don’t pass up any opportunities that could help pay for my education.

More than a great education, I have gained life experiences that have shaped my future. Through campus activities and extra work in the classroom I leave OWU ready to follow my dreams. On top of this, because of the community at OWU I have made friends I will keep for life.

My school is nortorious for hardwork, especially in the science and math departments. I am sincerely thankful for all my professors in challenging and strengthening my abilities. I even learned what kind of study technique retains the most memory for me, since I continuously had labs, quizzes, and lab practicals. Because of its small community sized campus, many professors I studied under remembered me throughout my four years and some even longer. With their recommendation, I was able to expand my skills into new territories and even foreign countries. Two years after my graduation, I still seek advise from my undergraduate advisor when making critical internship or graduate school dicisions. Furthermore, not only are the professors stayed valuable in my post-bachelor life, but I also value the various countries represented at my school. Being an international student myself, my parents were equally impressed with the school's efforts in international students. Many of my international friends are now spread cross the globe; if it wasn't for our small community campus, I would have never met any of them. OWU was the toughest four years I lived so far, but also the most valuable experience.

The experiences I have gotten out of college is that its fun to learn new things. Im not just sitting in a class not raising my hand and not paying attention, but instead im sucking in the new information I learn everyday and try to share it with others as i go on. It's very valuable to me and my career. It's making things easier to understand and comprehend. If I could get all my friends to go to college again I would.

I've discovered so much about myself and my priorities since coming to college. When I came to college, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life and how to get there. Since then, I've changed my goals completely. College constantly makes me think about both myself and what is important to me in life. It challenges me mentally and emotionally. Each class makes me look beyond its materialand actually learn from not only the content, but the medium through which it's taught. I learn about writing good papers and also how to accept and give constructive criticism and learn under a variety of people. If I hadn't come to college, I guarantee that I'd be stuck in a rut that I wouldn't know how to get out of.

To be honest, I felt I was pretty prepared for college. Most everything that I've encountered I sort of anticipated. I wasn't one of those kids who had this wild perception of college, so I was pretty accurate in my assumptions. One thing I would tell myself back in High School is to have fun. Don't sit couped up in the computer room. Get out and do stuff because most of my 400 graduating classmates, I have not seen since I came to college. I would tell myself not to holdback and enjoy every last moment I have with them. Also, I'd bring back lottery numbers and advise myself on which girls secretly had crushes on me that year. Anyone who says they wouldn't do that is wasting the time machine.

The first thing I would tell myself would be not to worry so much, as a high school senior I was really stressed about coming to OWU, knowing it was closer to home than I would've liked and that the curriculum was going to be harder than that of the schools most of my friends were going to. I would tell myself that everything's going to work out fine, mom's not going to visit every weekend and the classes are hard but they're not going to kill you. Don't be scared of the professors, use them to your advantage. All of the professors that I've met at OWU really truly want you to succeed and genuinely love their jobs. All you have to do is ask them for help and they'll give you all you need and then some. They also have great contacts, most can get you anywhere on a research grant if you're willing to put in the time and effort, and it's definitely worth it. I would definitely say this school was a great choice and you're going to love it here.

I would tell myself to not get sucked into the pressures that are about to come my way. I would tell myself to always remember who I am and to keep my goals in check. I would recommend getting a job on campus to make some extra cash for going out to dinner with roommates or for going to a concert. I would tell myself to not be shy or afraid, just be myself and make friends. I would also tell myself to take classes that I would not normally choose to take, just to get the experience and expand my horizons. Lastly, I would tell myself to never be scared to talk to my professors when I needed guidance or had questions because they are only there to help and want me to succeed.

I really and truly love college, yet I watch friends, very close friends who do not. There are a few commonalities I see amongst those who do not overly enjoy university life. From these experiences, I would confidently argue the two most important pieces of advice to be: keep an open mind and get involved. Try something new! This is your opportunity and you need to make the most of it. There will not be adults pushing you in certain directions, you are truly the creator of your own future and I urge you to take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity. If you do this while keeping an open mind and trying new things, college will not only be an astoundingly educational few years, but it will be an absolute blast. You will quite possibly look back and know you made it best time in your life. I have often watched too many people shrink back into their shells and not sincerely give it a chance. Of course, it can be scary to put yourself into a brand new environment, but just remember that practically everyone else is showing up that first day not knowing anyone either.

To work extremely hard freshman year so that you are not trying to catch up the rest of the four years.

I would tell my past self, that college has a lot to offer and that you are in control as to how challenging you want your college years to be. It is not necessary that college is going to be harder than high school, but will definitely entail a lot of effort on your part to make a good transition into college life. The most challenging part for me during the transition was getting myself to spend sufficient time on classes. College has many opportunities; you cannot possibly go for all of them. I found that prioritizing my task helped me a lot to get what I wanted to accomplish without being in too many different areas at the same time. My last advice would be that, try to diversify yourself in college, both in studies and extracurricular activities.

Not to worry, you won't screw up college like you did in high school. College will give you the freedom to follow your dreams.

The hardest part for me transitioning into college was the social life. I was fully aware of the academic vigor, but was not ready for the social challenges I was about to face. I would tell myself to always be true to myself, no matter what. There is so much pressure to drink alcohol and party, and I would want to go back in time and prepare myself for these pressures. I would tell myself to have a support system. people to talk to when I got frustrated and not keep it all bottled inside. I would tell myself to not let temptation get in the way of my future and my goals. And I would tell myself not to worry so much, that college is going to be a time of extraordinary growth, and that everything will turn out exactly how it is supposed to.

Start early! If you wait too long to start the college search, it can cause unnecessary stress. Take time to go visit the schools, and if possible sit in at a class or two. If you can, stay overnight in a dorm to get a feel for what the school is really like. Make sure to find a school that really fits you and what you want to do. Try not to worry too much about going to a big-name school just for bragging rights, just go where you feel comfortable. Once you enroll in a school, I would suggest searching to see if there are any orientation or pre-orientation activities for incoming students. This makes it really easy to meet people and make friends. The most imortant advice, I think, is just to be yourself and do what feels right.